Chapter 1 At our seventh-anniversary dinner party, my husband shouted from the kitchen. "Babe, come help me serve this dish." Before I could even stand up from my seat, my best friend had already trotted over, hugging him from behind and taking the plate. Seeing me frozen in place, she quickly explained. "I'm so used to being ordered around by my mom at home, it's become a reflex. Don't overthink it." I didn't argue or make a scene. I finished the dinner party with a composed face. After the guests left, I calmly said to my husband, who was clearing the table, "Let's get a divorce." My husband slammed down the bowls and chopsticks, glaring at me. "Seriously? Just because she helped me serve a dish?" ... "Emily, in seven years of marriage, I've never let you do a single chore. I've spoiled you rotten, giving you everything." "Now, just because of an unintentional act by your best friend, you want to divorce me? Do you have a conscience?" Mark questioned me with red eyes, as if I had done something unforgivable. I didn't respond directly. Instead, I shifted my gaze to the dining table, to the plate of squirrel-shaped mandarin fish with only a little left at the bottom. "In seven years of marriage, every time we ate, you knew this was my favorite dish you made, and you would always place it closest to me." "But this time, you placed it in front of Jessica, who also likes it." Mark choked for a moment, then said grumpily, "What's there to say about that? There was no one to help serve the dishes at the time. I was dizzy and busy, didn't think too much." I shook my head, my voice hoarse. "It's not just this dish. When everyone sat down, you pulled out the chair for Jessica first." "When her glass was empty, you opened a new drink, and it was orange flavor, which she likes but I don't." "Mark, human thinking has inertia. When you love someone, your subconscious wants to give them the best." "When you were too busy to think, you were subconsciously good to another woman. That is the key reason I want to divorce you." Mark's face darkened, looking at me like I was crazy. "Emily, are you sick? A few unintentional actions, and you interpret so much out of them? If you're so capable, why don't you become a detective?" "Besides, is that 'another woman'? That's Jessica! Your best friend since childhood!" "If it weren't for your sake, I wouldn't have taken care of her more. How did it become me having an affair with her in your mouth? Are you reasonable?" He went to the study, found a photo album, and threw it in front of me. Inside, one by one, were photos of Jessica and me from childhood to the present, each one smiling like sisters. The most prominent ones were from my wedding, when Jessica was my maid of honor. On stage, she wept as she watched Mark and me exchange rings, her expression moved. In the next one, Jessica and I hugged tightly on stage. She was holding my bridal bouquet, smiling brilliantly. I looked at these photos and suddenly smiled sarcastically in hindsight. "When we exchanged rings, the tips of her shoes were pointed at you. So she wasn't moved by my marriage, but weeping for you." "When hugging me, she was smiling at someone outside the frame. From the angle of the shot, that person was you." "So seven years ago, she had such thoughts about you. No wonder she has remained single all these years." "And what about you? When did you start?" Mark took a step back, his face full of disappointment and anger at me. "Emily, I thought you were just temporarily stuck in a dead end and couldn't think straight. I didn't expect you to be crazy to this extent, confusing black and white even about the past!" "I think I've spoiled you too much, making you so tricky, willful, and unreasonable!" "I'll give you a day to reflect on your mistakes. Tomorrow is my grandfather's eightieth birthday. If you still have a shred of respect as a junior, you shouldn't bring this trouble before Grandpa!" He threw the apron heavily and slammed the door as he left. 2 I sat weakly in the chair facing a table full of messy cups and plates. Mark and I met and fell in love in college. My family was wealthy, but I never despised him as a poor student living on financial aid. I selflessly helped him in both study and life, even paying for him to study abroad for two years at a prestigious university to gild his resume. Mark is a smart man. Knowing his shortcomings, he always took great care of my emotions. After marriage, he indeed gave me meticulous care in life, never letting me suffer the slightest grievance. But even the most thorough person will reveal clues when they care too much and get flustered. I opened my phone and found that Mark had unknowingly turned off the location sharing he had bound with me. Without notifying anyone, I changed my clothes and went directly to Jessica's bar. Because I dressed particularly low-key, no one noticed me from the moment I entered. I walked along the corridor, unimpeded all the way, to the door of private room 999, which Jessica used exclusively to entertain friends. Before pushing the door open, I heard Mark's complaining voice from inside. "Knowing I'm being bullied by a tigress, you guys still laugh. Do you have any sympathy?" There was a room full of people sitting inside. At a glance, most of them were friends who came to my dinner party tonight! They sat or stood, looking relaxed, with no intention of speaking for me at all. Amidst their laughter, I felt cold all over. In the center seat of the private room, Jessica played with a wine glass, tilted her head and smiled at Mark beside her. "Who told you to be careless and call me 'baby' in Emily's house?" "I didn't react for a moment and subconsciously tied the apron for you." "I thought she wouldn't be so sensitive, but unexpectedly, she still noticed." Putting down the glass, she lit a cigarette with a smile, using the limited edition antique lighter I gave her for her birthday last year. Just as she put it in her mouth, Mark naturally snatched the cigarette away. "You're a mother now, why don't you have any sense of propriety? I told you not to smoke during pregnancy!" Jessica has had a violent temper since childhood and never submitted to anyone's discipline. Back then, when her dad forbade her to smoke, she could pick up a kitchen knife and challenge the old man. But now, facing Mark, she showed a submissive smile I had never seen before. "Okay, okay, I'll listen to you. If I don't smoke, I don't smoke." "After all, you are the biological father of my child, of course you have the final say." She stroked her still flat lower abdomen, smiled and leaned her head on Mark's shoulder. My blood froze in this instant. Jessica and Mark not only cheated, but even had a child! 3 "Speaking of which, Emily is also unreasonable. Why did she choose to be child-free for no reason?" "Exactly. Brother Mark's family has been a single heir for three generations. Isn't she intentionally harming people?" Hearing the ridicule of the people around me, Jessica, who had always stood by my side since childhood no matter what, smiled contemptuously and actually chimed in: "She was spoiled, so she doesn't know how to consider others." And my husband, Mark, held Jessica's hand while smiling affectionately. "Jess, you are willing to bear a child for me. You are not only my benefactor, but also a great hero of my family!" "From now on, our lives will be more closely linked and will never be separated!" Hearing his words, my tears rolled down, and I almost couldn't stand. Back then, my mother had a difficult labor and heavy bleeding when giving birth to me. She passed away before she could even hold me. Because of this, I have always had a fear of childbirth. Early in our relationship, I told Mark that I planned to be child-free in this life. If he minded, we would end it here. But at that time, Mark hugged me tightly and said emotionally in my ear: "I am already content to meet you in this life. Children are not important at all. My love for you will not decrease by a single bit!" I was full of emotion at that time, thinking that I had met a man who loved me beyond the instinct of reproduction, and possessed a one-in-a-million true love. But now, seeing Mark's deep affection for Jessica, I know how wrong I was! In the private room, someone asked: "But, do you two plan to hide it from Emily for a lifetime?" "Now that you have a child, you might as well open up to Emily. After the divorce, you can be together openly!" Everyone looked at the two of them in unison, and Mark shook his head immediately. "Impossible. Jess and she have been good friends for more than twenty years. I can't bear to let her break up with her best friend because of me." "Moreover, my career is deeply bound to the Evans family. I can't completely tear my face with Emily." "So from the very beginning of being together, Jess and I agreed that no matter what, we cannot bring the relationship to Emily, and divorce is even more impossible." It turns out Mark also knows that his current wealth and status rely on my investment and help. The fundamental reason for maintaining a relationship with me turned out to be profit. Everyone sighed, and someone looked at Jessica with sympathy. "Jess, you are such a proud person. Are you willing to bring up a child in the dark for a lifetime?" Jessica snorted and smiled, turned Mark's face, and printed a lingering kiss on his lips. "Isn't marriage just a piece of paper? I don't care." "Besides, a wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as stealing. Stealing under Emily's nose for a lifetime, just thinking about it is exciting." If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I wouldn't believe that such words came from my best friend whom I have known for more than twenty years. There was laughter and joy in the private room, but I felt like I had fallen into hell on earth. Overnight, I went from the happiest woman in the world to a clown who suffered betrayal of both love and friendship at the same time. What is even sadder is that I turned out to be the last person in the circle of friends to know about this. My friends whom I thought were close always helped them cover up, watching them play me around, but no one came to remind me. Weeping, I walked out of the bar and dialed the legal department. "Prepare a divorce agreement for me. I want Mark to leave the marriage with nothing." "In addition, I want you to help me do a few more things..." 4 The next day was the eightieth birthday of the Zhou family patriarch. The Zhou family had prepared for this birthday banquet for a long time. Early in the morning, the courtyard house I bought for them was decorated with lanterns and festoons. Flowers and longevity peaches were placed everywhere, and a symphony orchestra was invited to perform live. But when I stepped into the gate, I saw Jessica sitting at the main table in the room. And my mother-in-law, who always treated me coldly, was holding her hand affectionately at this moment, asking about her health. "Little Jess, a woman pregnant with a child eats for two. You must pay more attention to strengthening nutrition." "You are too thin. I feel distressed watching you. In the future, I will cook three meals a day for you and let Mark deliver them to you every day!" Jessica smiled obediently and sweetly. Seeing me come in, she didn't look panicked at all. "Emily, on such a big day today, why did you come just now? I've been waiting for you for a long time." If it were usual, I would think this was the most normal greeting. But now, I clearly heard belittling and suppression in her words, implying that I was a person who didn't even care about important events in my husband's family. Sure enough, after the Zhou family members at the table heard it, their faces, which were not good to me originally, became even worse. "She is a wealthy young lady after all. It's good enough that she can come. How can we ask for so much?" After my mother-in-law sarcastically mocked me, she changed her face and smilingly handed a piece of fruit to Jessica. "Little Jess, this is the cantaloupe Mark had air-freighted from Hainan this morning. It's very sweet. Eat more." Jessica greeted me to sit next to her, but I sat directly opposite her, separated by a whole round table, and spoke calmly. "When did you get pregnant? My mother-in-law knows, but I'm still kept in the dark." A trace of guilt flashed across Jessica's face, then she smiled: "Just found out. I was preparing to tell you today, but I didn't expect Auntie to see it first." "Yes, a pregnant woman has a special aura. We who have given birth can tell at a glance!" My mother-in-law smoothed things over, not forgetting to sarcastically mock me: "Little Emily, you haven't given birth, so naturally you don't understand." I didn't take her words, my eyes still on Jessica. "Where is the child's father? When does he plan to marry you?" Hearing the coldness in my tone, the smile on Jessica's mouth faded a bit, "I am a non-marriageist and don't plan to get married. Anyway, someone will raise the child after birth. No need for superficial efforts." But I laughed. "You are too big-hearted as a mother. Others do their best to raise children, but you are willing to let your child be a nameless illegitimate child." I emphasized the word "illegitimate child". After saying this, the whole room fell silent. Jessica's face turned green and white. She stared at me fiercely but couldn't say a word. At this time, Mark, who hadn't shown up all along, finally arrived supporting Master Zhou. Seeing Jessica at the dinner table, his face changed instantly: "Jessica, why are you here? Who let you come?" "I invited Little Jess!" My mother-in-law suddenly stood up and pointed at me, cursing: "The old man is celebrating his eightieth birthday, and he still hasn't held a great-grandson. It's all because of this hen that can't lay eggs!" "Now that Little Jess has finally conceived a golden grandson for our family, how can I wrong her? Of course I have to invite her to attend the birthday banquet together!" Her remarks fell into my trap, but also completely tore off Mark's last fig leaf. Mark was so angry that he almost jumped up: "Mom, what nonsense are you talking about? Jessica and I are innocent. How could the child she is carrying be mine!" He desperately winked at my mother-in-law, but she pushed him away. "What is there to hide? It was Emily's fault for not being able to bear children. How dare she speak shamelessly and say my grandson is an illegitimate child!" "I looked forward to this golden grandson for so long. How can I allow others to insult him like this!" Mark wanted to cry but had no tears. Just as he was about to explain, Jessica stood up and looked straight at me. "Emily, actually you already knew, right?" "Since that's the case, I won't hide it from you anymore. I am indeed pregnant with Mark's child." "I have seen all his kindness and dedication to you over the years. I both envy and hate you for not appreciating your blessings, unwilling to even bear him a child." "You don't cherish such a good man, but plenty of women want him!" In front of me, she grabbed Mark's hand and vowed: "Mark, whatever Emily can give you, I can give you too!" "I don't want to endure anymore. Today I want to be with you openly and honestly!" Mark's eyes flickered, seeming to be weighing the pros and cons. But soon, he held Jessica's hand back and looked at me as if burning his boats. "Since everything is out in the open, Emily, let's part on good terms. Let's divorce!" "I don't want a penny of what belongs to you, but the Zhou Corporation was developed by me alone, so don't even think about taking it!" Seeing his shameless face, I laughed in anger. If it weren't for me, how could he, a penniless student, quickly get financing to start a business after graduation, receive hundreds of high-quality client orders in a row, and counterattack to become a winner in life in the top ten of the rich list within ten years? But no matter. Compared to dealing with him, I have a more interesting thing to do together. In front of Jessica and Mark, I took out my phone. "It's me, Emily." "The capital strangulation against the Xie and Zhou families can begin."
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